Media devices may provide programming that is presented on a media presentation device. An example of a media device is a set top box (STB) that receives programming from a media provider, which is communicated to a television that is connected to the STB. Other media devices include their own integrated display or the like upon which the programming may be presented. The programming may be provided to the media device over a variety of media, such as a cable system, a satellite system, or the Internet.
A viewer operates their media device so that a program of interest is presented to them on the media presentation device. For example, a viewer may operate their STB to tune to a particular program channel that is presenting the program of interest. Accordingly, the STB provides a streaming video channel and a corresponding streaming audio channel such that the viewer is able to view the video and listen to the audio of the selected program of interest.
Advancing technologies have enabled media presentation devices to display multiple video channels on a single display. For example, a picture in picture (PIP) format allows a primary video channel to be displayed over the main field area of the display, while a reduced size, and relatively small image generated by a second video channel (the PIP video channel) is displayed superimposed over the top of the main field area at a selected location. Another exemplary format is a picture and picture (PAP) format that displays two video channels adjacent to each other on the display. Yet another exemplary format is picture over picture (POP) where the viewer may easily toggle between programs presented on the display.
However, the media presentation device typically has only a single audio system that is capable of reproducing the sounds of a single audio channel. That is, the viewer is able to listen to only one audio channel at a time, even if multiple video channels are being viewed. Further, the average viewer is not able to listen to both audio channels simultaneously. In most situations, the viewer will only want to listen to one audio channel at a time because of the viewer's difficulties of mentally processing two different audio channels. That is, it is difficult for a viewer to meaningfully discern and understand two different audio channels at the same time. Accordingly, the viewer must select a single audio channel associated with a particular video channel of interest.
For example, the viewer may be using the PIP feature of their media presentation device to watch a first program of interest presented as the primary video channel and a second program of interest as the PIP video channel. The viewer may listen to only one of the audio channels at a time. Such systems are configured to allow the viewer to easily select, or toggle between, the two audio channels.
However, in some situations the viewer may wish to simultaneously listen to two different audio channels. For example, the viewer may be concurrently viewing a golfing event and a music video. Here, the viewer could listen to both the music of the music video and listen to the commentator's narrative of the golfing event. Furthermore, some media presentation devices are configured to receive audio-only channels, such as music provided by a radio station or the like. For example, the viewer may be viewing a news cast or a political speech, and may wish to have music from an audio-only source concurrently played while they view and listen to the news cast or political speech. Accordingly, there is a need in the arts to enable the viewer to control volume of multiple audio channels.